By Peter Marsden
Wimbledon have been crowned champions of the MHL Conference East after a thrilling last day finale.
A 5-0 win over Cambridge on Sunday saw Wimbledon leapfrog Holcombe to top spot by virtue of having scored three more goals than their title rivals.
A good enthusiastic home crowd in freezing conditions watched this high quality end to end game and the fact that Wimbledon’s goal keeper, Tom Millington, was man of the match, shows that Cambridge were no push over.
However, goals from Richard Alexander (two), Rob Pryce (two) and an own goal propelled Wimbledon to the summit, and a spot in the Premier Division play-offs, due to be played in Reading on the weekend of April 13.
The first 30 minutes saw chances at both ends with splendid goal keeping saves, the pick of which was a left handed stop by Millington from an unchallenged shot from 10 yards.
This changed in the 32nd and 35th minutes with two bizarre goals - balls into the Cambridge D were deflected and defensive mix ups lead to the first, an own goal, and the second, a tap in from Pryce.
These were a nerve calmer as news came through that rivals Holcombe were drawing 1-1 at Old Loughtonians.
The second half was still two-way traffic, but the real game changer was goal three.
This came from a swift move. Good work down the left by Alexander sent Jonnie Kinder on a scorching run.
His cross was partially saved but the deflection went to Pryce who made no mistake from six yards.
Goal four was a well worked short corner ably converted by Alexander who then rounded off a dynamic performance with an unstoppable blast from the edge of the D in the last minute, having been set free by Ben Hawes.
5-0 should have been good enough but there was still an anxious wait for the result of the late starting Holcombe game, but then the result came through, Old Loughts 1 Holcombe 3 and Wimbledon were champions.
Cue celebrations.
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